Lifter for building-blocks.



No. 718,506. I PIiTEN-TED JAILIB, 1903.

. L. NORM-LAIIDIN'. I LIFTER FOR BUILDING BLOGKs.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 4, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

M71607 Lei z P fl ormanolcn/ IINTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEVI P. NORMANDIN, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF THREE- FOURTHS TO WILLIAM F. COWHAM, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

LIFTER FOR BUILDING-BLOCKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent no. 718,506, dated January 13, 1903.

Application filed August 4, 1902. Serial No. 118,385. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEVI P. NORMANDIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jackson, in the county of'Jackson andState of Michigamhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in .Lifters for Building- Blocks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to lifting devices especially designed for use in handling building-blocks.

It is the object of the invention to obtain a construction by means of which the blocks can be readily placed in position in the wall Without danger of injuring the same,

It is a further objectto provide means for easily attaching and detaching the lifter from the block. 7

In the manufacture of building-blocks of tile or artificial stone it is usual to form a hollow construction both for the purpose of economizing material and for preventing dampness from penetrating the wall. These blocks are generally made of considerable size, so that it is necessary to provide a hoist or lifting device to assist the Workman in placing them in position in the wall. Usually the lifting device is externally engaged with the block, with the result that frequently the face of the block is injured. Furthermore, it is difficult to exactly position the block without first disengaging the lifter. In the present construction this difficulty is overcome by adapting the lifter for an internal engagement with the block. This can be readily accomplished, as in the manufacture of the blocks internal lifting-shoulders may be easily formed.

Theinvention therefore consists in the construction of a lifter as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a crosssection through a building-block, showing the lifter in engagement therewith. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through a block in engagement with the lifter, showing the manner of placing the same in position in the wall. Fig. 4 is an elevation of a modified construction of the lifter.

The device comprises, essentially,a shank depending from a hoisting apparatus, upon which is pivoted a rotary sleeve, the latter being provided with a projecting lug adapted to be inserted in the hollow block and to be engaged with the lifting-shoulder therein by a partial rotation of the sleeve. The sleeve is also preferably provided with a handle, by means of which it can be conveniently turned.

In its simplest form the lifter is constructed as shown in Fig. 4, in which A is a shank provided at its upper end with a hook B for engagement with the hoisting rope or cable 0. D is a sleeve swiveled upon the shank, having formed at its lower end the oppositelyprojecting lugs E. These lugs are of sufficient length to engage with the lifting-shoulders, such as F, which may be formed within the building block G upon opposite sides thereof. The diameter of the sleeve D and the width of the lugs E is, however, restricted in size, so as to be readily inserted in the opening H in the building-block when the lugs are turned to extend longitudinally thereof. The sleeve D is supported on the shank by a collar I, which, as shown, may be formed by a nut engaging the threaded end of said shank, and to prevent possibility of accidental disengagement a split key, such as J, may be passed through an aperture in the shank beneath said nut. At the upper end of the sleeve D is arranged one or more handles K. r

The construction just described maybe employed in lifting blocks by first inserting the sleeve within the chamber of the block and then turning it by means of the handle K, so as to engage the lugs E with the shoulders F. It is of course necessary to so position the lifter that the block will be in balance, and where this is done it may then be readily lifted and moved into position in the wall.

In practice the exact balancing of a large block in the manner above described would be a somewhat difficult operation and there would also be danger of displacement in moving it from one position to another. I therefore preferably employ the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, in which a pair of shanks A are connected to opposite ends of a lever or yoke L. This yoke is centrally provided with a hook M for engaging with the hoisting-cable. With this construction the two sleeves D and D may be inserted in the hollow of the block, near the opposite ends thereof, and then by rotating each sleeve the lugs E may be engaged with the shoulders F. On account of this double engagement all danger of throwing the block out of balance is avoided and at the same time the lifter may be very quickly engaged or disengaged from the block.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is 1. A lifting device for hollow buildingblocks eomprisingashank secured to the hoisting-cable and a sleeve revoluble upon said shank having a laterally-projecting lug at its lower end, said sleeve being adapted to be inserted within the hollow of the block and to have its lug engaged with a lifting-shoulder therein by a partial rotation upon said shank through the medium of an outwardly-projecting portion of said sleeve.

2. A lifting device for hollow buildingblooks comprisingashank secured tothehoisting-cable, a sleeve revoluble upon said shank having a laterally-projecting lug at its lower end and a laterally-projecting handle at its upper end, the lower end of said sleeve being adapted to be inserted within the hollow space of said block to have its lug engaged with a lifting-shoulder within said block by a partial rotation upon said shank.

3. A lifting device for hollow buildingblocks comprising an even lever or yoke centrally connected to the hoisting-cable, a pair LEVI P. NORMANDIN;

Witnesses:

M. B. ODOGHERTY, ALBERT G. ROBERTSON. 

